pipeline safety information for emergency responders/media/pipeline/public... · - caller’s...

Pipeline Safety Information for Emergency Responders

EO 2019

www.exxonmobilpipeline.com

Emergency Number 1-800-537-5200

As a 9-1-1 dispatcher, you play a vital role in effective response to pipeline incidents. You are regularly the fi rst notifi ed when a pipeline emergency occurs; therefore, it is important to follow these guidelines in the event of a pipeline emergency:

Tip: The National Emergency Number Association has developed recommendations to assist 9-1-1 dispatchers in emergency communications relating to pipeline incidents. These recommendations are available at www.nena.org.

• Ask for information relating to:

- Caller’s location & contact information

- Facts relating to the emergency (describe the emergency, location of the emergency, is there property or people in danger)

- Determining whether the caller is in immediate danger in order to provide safety guidance

• Advise the public the following steps to take in the event of a potential leak - identifi ed or suspected:

- Immediately and safely leave the area and move upwind from the release

- Do not touch, breathe or make contact with leaking liquids

- Do not light a match, start an engine, use a phone or light switch, or do anything that may create a spark

- Do not drive into a leak or vapor cloud area

Guidelines for 9-1-1 Dispatchers

Know the Signs of a Leak

• Help coordinate the initial response by making contact with emergency responders and ExxonMobil Pipeline Company’s (EMPCo) Operations Control Center at 1-800-537-5200.

By Smell Unusual petroleum, chemical or “rotten egg” smell

By SoundUnusual noise, like a hissing or roaring sound

By SightLiquid or frozen ground, water bubbling or being blown into the air, discolored or abnormally dry soil, oily sheen on water surfaces, fi re or explosion, dense white cloud or fog or discolored vegetation



Guidelines for Emergency RespondersCoordinating with the pipeline company is crucial for an effective and safe response to a pipeline incident. Emergency responders are responsible for the following actions during an incident:

• Securing the area around the leak. This could include asking residents to shelter-in- place; evacuating people from homes, businesses, schools, and other locations; erecting barricades to control access to the emergency site; and instituting other similar precautions. You know to take whatever steps you deem necessary to safeguard the public in the event of a pipeline emergency.

• If the pipeline leak is not burning, taking steps to prevent ignition. This could include prohibiting smoking, rerouting traffi c, and shutting off the electricity and residential gas supply.

• If the pipeline leak is burning, taking measures to prevent the spread of fi re, but making no attempt to extinguish it. Gas vapors or liquids may collect if the fi re is extinguished and could explode when re-ignited by secondary fi res.

• Setting up a command center and contacting EMPCo as soon as possible. EMPCo’s Operations Control Center will want to know:

- Caller’s contact information - Emergency location - Size, characteristics and behavior of leak - Location of any nearby environmentally sensitive areas - Primary or secondary fi res - Injuries or deaths - Proximity to buildings

Tip: No one should attempt to operate any of the valves on the pipeline. It could worsen the situation.

Resources• National Association of State Fire Marshals: comprehensive emergency response training - www.pipelineemergencies.com.

• ExxonMobil Pipeline Company – 2014 Oil Spill Response Field Manual - http://cdn.exxonmobil.com/~/media/global/fi les/other/2015/oil-spill- response-fi eld-manual_2014_e.pdf.

• American Petroleum Institute (API) and Association of Oil Pipe Lines (AOPL) made available a Pipeline Emergency Training Portal - http://nasfm-training.org/pipeline/.

• AOPL Emergency Response Toolkit - http://www.aopl.org/ emergencyresponse/

How We Respond to an EmergencyIn the unlikely event of an emergency, we are prepared to quickly respond. We regularly communicate, plan and drill with emergency responders in your community to ensure our response is well-coordinated and effective.

If an emergency is identifi ed, we immediately dispatch personnel to the site to assist with response efforts. We also take the necessary operating actions to minimize the impact of the event. For more information on our emergency response plans, please call 1-888-804-4788.



Some pipelines contain colorless and odorless products. While some gases are lighter than air and will rise, others are heavier than air and will stay near the ground and collect in low spots.

Know the Signs of a Leak

By Smell Unusual petroleum, chemical or “rotten egg” smell

By Sound Unusual noise, like a hissing or roaring sound

By Sight Liquid or frozen ground, water bubbling or being blown into the air, discolored or abnormally dry soil, oily sheen on water surfaces, fi re or explosion, dense white cloud or fog or discolored vegetation

If a Leak Occurs 1. Immediately and safely leave the area and move upwind from the release.

2. Do not touch, breathe or make contact with leaking liquids.

3. Do not light a match, start an engine, use a phone or light switch, or do anything that may create a spark.

4. Do not drive into a leak or vapor cloud area.

5. From a safe location, call 911 and ExxonMobil Pipeline’s emergency number at 1-800-537-5200.

Tip: Do not attempt to operate any of the valves on the pipeline. It could worsen the situation.

Tip: Any pipeline leak can be potentially dangerous.



Help us Prevent Pipeline Product Theft: Tampering with or tapping into oil pipelines is a dangerous and illegal act. When people tamper with pipelines to steal fuel, they endanger themselves and the neighboring community. If you suspect that pipeline fuel theft may be happening in your area, you can report it anonymously to us at 800-537-5200. Signs of theft include evidence of excavated dirt near a pipeline, tubes or hoses running from a pipeline, an odor of leaking fuel and/or anyone other than ExxonMobil personnel working on an ExxonMobil pipeline. To prevent pipeline fuel theft, please familiarize yourself with the oil pipelines and facilities in your area, be observant of suspicious persons or activities and promptly report any concerns for the purpose of ensuring your and your neighbors’ safety.

How We Keep Our Pipelines SafeOur pipelines are made of steel and buried underneath the ground. In accordance with federal and state regulations, EMPCo has evaluated and identifi ed pipeline segments that could affect High Consequence Areas - areas where releases could have greater consequences to health, safety or the environment.

To safely operate our pipelines, EMPCo follows a comprehensive Integrity Management Program that includes:

• Regularly maintaining our system using cleaning devices and cathodic protection to prevent corrosion

• Running diagnostic tools and tests to detect corrosion or damage to our pipelines before a leak could occur

Additionally, EMPCo performs surveillance of our systems including:

• Performing patrols on the ground and in the air

• Monitoring our operations 24 hours a day through a centralized control center

• Using sophisticated computers, alarms and other technologies designed to immediately implement protective measures should a leak be detected

Tip: Be aware of EMPCo pipeline markers in your area. For more information, visit our website at www.exxonmobilpipeline.com.

Tip: Call our 24 hour contact number 1-800-537-5200 in case of an emergency.

Markers that indicate the location of pipelines may include warning signs,aerial patrol markers, casing vents and painted metal, wooden or plastic posts.

Pipeline markers are used to indicate the approximate location of the pipeline -DO NOT rely on them to indicate the exact position of the pipeline.

Pipeline marker signs show the pipeline company’s name, emergency phone number,and products transported.

How Do You Know Where a Pipeline is Located



Is There a Pipeline in My Area?The National Pipeline Mapping System (NPMS) was designed to provide local government and emergency offi cials with information about pipeline companies operating in their communities. Check for pipelines in your area at www.npms.phmsa.dot.gov.

Tip: As an Emergency Responder, you also have access to more detailed information through the PIMMA (Pipeline Information Management Mapping Application) link within the website.

Although pipeline companies are responsible for the safety and security of their facilities, it is essential that we all work together to protect against unauthorized excavations or other destructive activities.

Here’s what you can do to help:

• Become familiar with EMPCo pipelines and related facilities in your area.

• Keep our emergency contact number 1-800-537-5200 in your cell phone and near your offi ce and home telephones.

• Be aware of any unusual or suspicious activities or unauthorized excavations taking place within the right of way or near a facility. Report any such activities to EMPCo and local law enforcement.

• Encourage the use of the National Call Before You Dig number, 8-1-1. It’s free – and it’s the law.

How You Can Help

Do You Know?The Pipelines and Informed Planning Alliance (PIPA) assists communities in becoming risk-informed about transmission pipelines and making better land use planning and development decisions related to pipelines. PIPA has developed recommended practices for protecting communities, protecting transmission pipelines and communicating among stakeholders.

Visit: http://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/comm/pipa/landuseplanning.htm



Each day, ExxonMobil Pipeline Company (EMPCo) and its affi liates transport the following products through more than 4,000 miles of pipeline in 6 states and the Gulf of Mexico:

Pipelines are the safest, most effi cient and environmentally friendly means of transporting petroleum products, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

We make every effort to avoid an incident on our pipeline system. These safety guidelines are provided to raise your awareness of pipelines operating in your area. Through the use of effective excavation and land use practices, we can work together to keep the public and environment safe.

We ask that you share this important safety information with all personnel in your organization.

Sent on behalf of ExxonMobil Pipeline Company and various ExxonMobil affi liates:

ExxonMobil Oil Corporation

Mobil Pipe Line Company

Mobil Chemical Company

Mobil Vanderbilt - Beaumont Pipeline Company

Mustang Pipeline LLC

Point Thomson Export Pipeline, LLC

PRODUCT LEAK TYPE VAPORS

HIGHLY VOLATILE LIQUIDS [SUCH AS: BUTANE, PROPANE, BENZENE, ETHYLENE, PROPYLENE, RESINS, AND NATURAL GAS LIQUIDS (NGL)]

GasInitially heavier than air, spread along ground and may travel to source of ignition and fl ash back. Product is colorless, tasteless and odorless.

HEALTH HAZARDS

Will be easily ignited by heat, sparks or fl ames and will form explosive mixtures with air. Vapors may cause dizziness or asphyxiation without warning and may be toxic if inhaled at high concentrations. Contact with gas or liquefi ed gas may cause burns, severe injury and/or frostbite. Fire may produce irritating and/or toxic gases.

HAZARDOUS LIQUIDS [SUCH AS: CRUDE OIL, LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GASES, AND OTHER REFINED PETROLEUM PRODUCTS]

LiquidInitially heavier than air and spread along ground and collect in low or confi ned areas. Vapors may travel to source of ignition and fl ash back. Explosion hazards indoors, outdoors or in sewers.

HEALTH HAZARDS

Inhalation or contact with material may irritate or burn skin and eyes. Fire may produce irritating, corrosive and/or toxic gases. Vapors may cause dizziness or suffocation. Runoff from fi re control or dilution water may cause pollution.

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